A number with 34 zeros: About three years ago, a Russian court sentenced the American technology company to a fine that doubles every week. An amount has now been collected that is greater than all the money in the world combined.
The Kremlin described the gigantic punishment as symbolic on Thursday. “The demands show the essence of the allegations made by our television channels against Google,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
Previously, it was known that the total amount of fines imposed by the court on the American company had reached two trillion rubles (that is, about 20 trillion euros – a number with 34 zeros).
Amount higher than global economic production
The amount is not only a multiple of Google’s value, but also a multiple of the world’s annual economic output. The dispute centers on the blocking of a number of Kremlin television channels on YouTube. A Russian court ordered the Google company Alphabet to restore the channels in 2020.
For every day that Google does not meet this requirement, the company must pay a fine of 100,000 rubles (just under 1,000 euros), with the daily fine doubling every week.
Peskov: “This is the best the company can do”
According to Peskov, the record fine should encourage Google to unblock the channels. “This is the best the company can do,” he says. However, there are no signs of Google giving in. After the start of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which violated international law, YouTube blocked other Russian television channels.
Moscow cannot enforce the verdict; the verdict applies only on Russian territory. Google’s Russian subsidiary was declared bankrupt shortly after the outbreak of war.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
